Anthony Amadeo Gallo

I’ll admit I’m becoming somewhat of a broken record, but have I mentioned lately that it’s really easy to get around Charlottesville without a car? So I might be in quite the miniscule minority when I say that this is now my fifth year in town without a car, and I have to give some of the credit there to my friends who have let me mooch off of them occasionally (it’s hard to bike carrying beer). But seriously, U.Va.Read more...

There’s nothing like following up a hearty meal of wings coated in sauces called “the Slayer” and “Flaming Parmesan” like venturing through Charlottesville’s moonbounce for cars – the Amtrak parking lot. Between Wild Wing Café and Amtrak, chances are good that you’ve experienced this nightmarish lot as well. Cross the railroad bridge on West Main Street heading toward downtown and you can see the vast expanse of craters to your right: a large, unpaved gravel lot filled with countless deep “chuck-holes”. For being part of one of Charlottesville’s gateways, this lot is quite the eyesore.Read more...

Virginia’s Republican governor, seeking to ensure that taxpayer money is spent as efficiently and effectively as possible, discovered more than $1 billion lying around from an agency that has drastically cut services and laid off a significant portion of its staff over the past few years. Is this alarming and disheartening news - or surprisingly good news - for a state dealing with tough financial times like the rest of the country? That answer may vary depending on who you talk to.Read more...

Well kids, it’s been one of those summers – wet, hot, and wild. Well, maybe not too wet. There was this one stretch in June where it seemed to storm every day at EXACTLY 3:30 p.m. and one time a bunch of huge trees got uprooted and everybody lost power for like three days, but I guess we’re kind of in a drought now. But I digress. For those of you who have been out of the loop, whether it be from that vacation in North Dakota, that internship in North Korea, or that sabbatical in Northern Virginia, here’s a brief recap of some of the biggest stories in Charlottesville this summer.Read more...

One month from now, I will no longer be an undergraduate at Mr. Jefferson’s University. Since I’ll still have the pleasure of living in Charlottesville, I reckon that might make me a…townie! So I’m going to take this opportunity to write my final nonsensical rant for the Dec about just that—townies. More specifically, I’d like to touch on the whole town/gown conflict that exists in college towns between students and townies, which, in my opinion, is completely overblown.Read more...

Last month, the owners of the Charlottesville Ice Park announced that they were putting it up for sale – and if they don’t find a buyer soon, it most likely will close. This isn’t just bad news for Bill and Roberta Williamson, the owners who since 2003 have lost nearly $850,000 and risk topping the $1 million mark if they continue to run the facility. This is bad news for the Downtown Mall and the people of Charlottesville, even if skating isn’t your thing.Read more...

It’s an idea that might seem far-fetched, but some forward-looking individuals in the Charlottesville area are hoping for their own mini-Metro for Albemarle County. Duane Snow, a member of the County Board of Supervisors brought the idea of bringing light rail to the region back into the limelight this past week. After the Board voted last April to endorse the idea of light rail connectivity in the region with a preliminary study and letter to Sen.Read more...

A vibrant, active community that has become one of the most popular places to live in the City…a strip with some of the trendiest restaurants in town and a festive nightlife scene…no, I’m not talking about the Corner or the Downtown Mall. I’m talking about Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood. This neighborhood is somewhat of a “hidden gem” in this City (well, at least to many U.Va. students), but is rapidly becoming one of Charlottesville’s biggest attractions and that may not sit well with everyone living in the neighborhood.Read more...

Each year around this time, as the holidays approach and the weather gets nippy, many intelligent men embark upon a period of self-discovery in which they cease to rid their faces of hair growth. Some refer to this period as “No-Shave November”; others extend it to “Decembeard.” Most people do it to piss off their loved ones when they return home for the holidays and to rebel against the Man who tells us that the only way to look mature is to be clean-shaven.Read more...

A few days ago, I found myself at the Engineering School needing to quickly venture over to the 14th/Grady area. I walked outside and watched a UTS bus whiz by. Awesome. I just missed it. Not wanting to venture ten minutes out of my way to pick up my bike at home, I simply decided to trek the twenty-plus-minute walk.Read more...